TWO people were arrested and more than 50 litres of alcohol seized during anti-social behaviour patrols in Pontypool.

Around 150 youths gathered in Abersychan last Friday evening and neighbourhood police who were already on patrol in the Abersychan area teamed up with support group officers to deal with a minority committing crime and anti-social behaviour.

Officers confiscated approximately 50 litres of alcohol, including cider, beer and wine, during the evening and arrested two men in their late teens.

One was arrested for a public order offence and was given a fixed penalty notice of £80 and the other, who was arrested for assault, was bailed pending further inquiries.

Youths caught with alcohol had their names and addresses taken and officers will send letters to their parents warning of their behaviour.

Sgt Clive Elliot, of the Pontypool neighbourhood team, said: “Anti-social behaviour is a PACT priority in Abersychan and the majority of wards in Torfaen, so we are working hard to address this problem in response to what residents have told us.

“We regularly confiscate alcohol from young people and this reduces the chance of them going on to behave anti-socially. We tackle this issue from all possible angles, targeting not just the children found in possession of alcohol, but just as importantly those adults who are supplying them.”

He added that co-ordinated patrols will continue to take place across Torfaen and warned that underage drinkers are not the only police target when it comes to dealing with alcohol-related issues.

Sgt Elliot said: “We issue £80 fixed penalty fines to adults who give alcohol to under-18s to drink on the streets.

“We work very closely with local shopkeepers, Trading Standards, the council’s CCTV department, and Torfaen Youth Service when dealing with underage drinking and anti-social behaviour.”